PHP74.9M ZC DAM FS AWARDED BY NEDA

The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA-Central) Bids and Awards Committee for Consultancy Services (BAC-CS) awarded the conduct of the full-blown feasibility study (FS) for the Zamboanga City Impounding Dam Project last December 2018.

The procurement with an approved budget for the contract in the amount of Php74.9MILLION was awarded to the joint venture (JV) of Engineering and Development Corporation of the Philippines (EDCOP), Pacific Rim Innovation and Management Exponents, Inc. (PRIMEX) and Key Engineers, Co. (KEC). The JV’s bid was Php57.7MILLION.

Initially, the City Government of Zamboanga and the ZCWD committed to fund a portion of the cost for the study but thru the resolute efforts of Cong. Lobregat, NEDA committed to fund full cost of the FS.

The funding for the project was sourced from the Project Development and Other Related Studies (PDRS) Fund of NEDA made possible thru the representations of 1st District Congressman Celso L. Lobregat during his chairmanship of the Committee on Public Works and Highways (CoPWH) of the House of Representatives (HoR).

It can be recalled that Cong. Lobregat filed House Resolution No. 10 (Urging the National Economic Development Authority to support the Proposed Zamboanga City Impounding Dam Project and to include it in the Priority Project Listing of the National Government) on the 1st day (June 30, 2016) of the First Regular Session of the 17th Congress.

On October 10, 2017, during the Second Regular Session of the 17th Congress, the HoR adopted House Resolution No. 70 which urge the NEDA to support the project and include it in the Priority Project Listing of the National Government. The adoption of the said Resolution as introduced by Cong. Lobregat paved the way for the Php74.9M funding for the FS.

The contract agreement for the successful bidding for the FS is currently under review by the NEDA. Once it is found to be in order, a notice to proceed (NTP) will be issued to the winning joint venture company and the latter has 9 months to complete the conduct of the FS. The dam project is a long-term solution, legacy project to address water security for Zamboanga City especially during times of pronounced dry spell or El Niño’s regularity which has become even more frequent due to climate change. (Edgardo Lorenzo D. Baños – CREAS – ZCWD)